NAMIBIA’S 2022 Commonwealth Games’ representatives Alex Miller and Anri Kruger won the third race of the 2024 Nedbank Windhoek Pedal Power (WPP) Series yesterday.
Miller, currently ranked 38th in the Mountain Bike category in the world and a possible candidate to represent the country at the upcoming Olympics in that category, successfully overcame his challengers Roger Suren and Theuns van der Westhuizen who came second and third, respectively.
Another rider Drikus Coetzee was fourth, just seconds behind the trio in the elite men’s category during the sprint to the finish line.
The junior riders Suren and Van der Westhuizen kept pace with Miller throughout the race, and managed to break off with him during an attack ahead of the sprint.
Coetzee, who won the third series of the Nedbank WPP last year, once again showed his character as he made his return to the racing circuit two months after competing in the Atlas Race in Morocco, where he retired from the race due to dehydration with less than 100 kilometres remaining in the race. He has not raced in a competitive event since.
Coetzee was unable to defend the stage he won last year as he came fourth.
Meanwhile, the elite women’s category saw Kruger overcoming her counterpart Mellisa Heinz to win this stage of the series. Kruger put up a dominant display on the day to create an over four-minute gap between herself and the chasing pack.
In an interview with Nampa after the race, Miller said he enjoyed the race, despite it being challenging.
“This was a good mini- training which I enjoyed today, but it was hard at the same time as well as competitive. With this race done and dusted, I am looking forward to the cross-country championships this coming weekend, and then the national a week later,” he said.
Kruger told this agency she enjoyed the race, as this is the type of race that suits her.
“Today, we had a great race as a team, but I enjoyed myself. I broke off early from the peloton, and gave it my all as the route used today fitted me well because I enjoy climbing,” she expressed. – Nampa